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ОглавлениеChapter 6
The Genealogies in Genesis
Most of the genealogies in the Bible are concentrated in the Book of Genesis. For this reason, Genesis is also called the “book of genealogies” or the “story of lineages.” It is the first of the 66 books of the Bible and reveals the origin of mankind as well as God’s sovereign work and providence over each godly offspring.
The 50 chapters of Genesis covers a span of about 2,300 years of history, from the creation of Adam until the death of Joseph (see Excursus 1: “The Chronology of the Patriarchs”). Because it is impossible to record detailed accounts of God’s providence in just 50 chapters, God compressed 2,300 years of history into genealogies. The chief message of the genealogical accounts in Genesis is that God will accomplish His administration to save mankind through the godly offspring and that He will surely fulfill His promise.
1. The Structure of Genesis
The book of Genesis can be organized into two parts: chapters 1–11 (part I) and chapters 12–50 (part II).
(1) Part 1 (chapters 1–11)
The theological term for the history outlined in Genesis 1–11 is “primeval history.” These chapters cover a span of 2,023 years, which include the creation of heaven and earth, the creation and fall of Adam and Eve, the story of Cain and Abel, the great flood, the Tower of Babel, and the lives of Adam, Noah, and Abraham (see Excursus 1: “The Chronology of the Patriarchs”).
God continued His work of salvation despite rebellion against His dominion—a rebellion that progressed and climaxed with the attempt to construct the Tower of Babel. In the last part of Genesis 11, Abraham departed from Ur of the Chaldeans and migrated to Haran. God’s work depicted in Genesis 1–11 comes to an end with the singling out of Abraham from among all the descendants of Adam to set the stage for a new beginning.
(2) Part 2 (chapters 12–50)
Genesis 12–50 covers a span of only about 280 years, a seventh of the first part. However, the pages dedicated to writing the accounts of this span of time are five times longer. It includes the narrative of the birth of the chosen people of Israel and focuses on the lives of four patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. It is apparent, therefore, that even more generations were compressed into part I of Genesis through the genealogies (Gen 4–5; 10–11).
2. Ten Genealogies in Genesis
There are ten genealogies ( Hebrew word for “genealogy”) in the book of Genesis. The first five belong to part I of Genesis (Gen 1–11) and the last five belong to part II of Genesis (Gen 12–50).
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1 – Genealogy of heaven and earth (Gen 1:1–2:4; 2:4–4:26)
Genesis 2:4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
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2 – Genealogy of Adam’s family (Gen 5:1–6:8)
Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam.
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3 – Genealogy of Noah’s family (Gen 6:9–9:29)
Genesis 6:9 These are the records of the generations of Noah.
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4 – Genealogy of Noah’s sons (Gen 10:1–11:9)
Genesis 10:1 Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah.
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5 – Genealogy of Shem (Gen 11:10–26)
Genesis 11:10 These are the records of the generations of Shem.
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6 – Genealogy of Terah (Abraham) (Gen 11:27–25:11)
Genesis 11:27 Now these are the records of the generations of Terah.
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7 – Genealogy of Ishmael (Gen 25:12–18)
Genesis 25:12 Now these are the records of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son.
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8 – Genealogy of Isaac (Gen 25:19–35:29)
Genesis 25:19 Now these are the records of the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son.
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9 – Genealogy of Esau (Gen 36:1–37:1)
Genesis 36:1 Now these are the records of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom).
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10 – Genealogy of Jacob (Gen 37:2–50:26)
Genesis 37:2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob.
The word genealogy (toledoth) appears in the heading of each genealogy and is used to either introduce the genealogy or transition into a new story. The presence of the word toledoth clarifies the fact that the passage is not just a mere list of names or a story. Furthermore, this specific format underscores the following important teachings.
First, the Genesis genealogies narrate the history of the fall, judgment, and restoration of man. The genealogy in Genesis 5 introduces Noah as the central figure who would deliver mankind from the catastrophic judgment of the flood after the fall of Adam. The genealogy in Genesis 11 introduces Abraham as the central figure in the work of salvation. He was singled out by God from among the scattered nations after their attempt to challenge Him through the construction of the Tower of Babel.
Second, the Genesis genealogies channel their focus on Abraham as the chief figure to pass on the work of redemption. This is why the division within the ten genealogies in Genesis is centered on Abraham— five before him and five after him.
Third, Genesis 1–11 is considered the introduction to the entire Bible and contains prophecies regarding the beginning and the end of redemptive history. The genealogies do not simply list the lineage of a person or family; they establish the structural framework for redemptive history.
3. Sepher Toledoth (Book of the Generations)
Organized and presented for the first time in history
While begin with the Hebrew word meaning “genealogy,” “account,” “order of birth,” “generations,” “descendants,” or “biography,” Genesis 5:1 uniquely begins the genealogy by pairing the word with another word, which means “book”:
Genesis 5:1 This is the book of the generations of Adam.
The “book of the generations” in Genesis 5:1 signifies “a record of family history,” “lineage dating back to the ancestors,” “a record of people’s bloodline,” and “an order of academic or philosophical system.” The word “book”) can also be translated as “writing,” “letter,” or “scroll.” Other genealogies are simply but the genealogy in Genesis 5 is
This difference is significant: Adam’s genealogy in Genesis 5 is neither a simple list of names nor a mere appendix. It contains a significant amount of content, enough to be considered a complete book in and of itself. From the perspective of God’s redemptive history, it holds great covenantal value, similar to a legally binding document or treaty.
The term sepher toledoth, that appears in the genealogy of the first man, Adam (Gen 5:1), appears also (in Greek) in the genealogy of the second man, Jesus Christ, in Matthew 1 (1 Cor 15:45–47).
Matthew 1:1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Again, the terms used in Genesis 5:1 is not just toledoth (“generations”); it is sepher toledoth (“book of generations”). Likewise in Matthew 1, it is not just genesis (“genealogy”); it is biblos geneseos (“book of genealogies”).
The genealogies of the first man (Gen 5:1) and the second man (Matt 1:1) both use the modifying word “book”: in Hebrew, (biblos) in Greek. The emphasis on “book” implies that the genealogy in Matthew 1, like the genealogy in Genesis 5, contains enough content to be considered a complete book on its own.
It is important to note that only the most crucial information is compressed into the genealogies. The genealogies replace an immeasurable amount of writing usually necessary to record a detailed narrative. This narrative would have recorded all of the great works that each patriarch performed in his generation as he battled against the world’s wickedness (Ps 40:5; 71:15–16; 139:16–18; Heb 11:32).
John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books which were written.
What was the common message of these patriarchs (representatives) from each generation? What inspired them to continue their solitary struggle? It was the fulfillment of God’s administration to save all mankind. For this purpose, the godly descendants of Seth and Shem continued faithfully to run their respective legs in the course of redemptive history and pass down the baton to the succeeding generations even through the tears, the agony, the loneliness, and the pain of being forsaken by the world.
The genealogies are full of the traces left behind by the godly descendants who fought the good fight until the coming of the promised seed. As we delve deeper into the study of the Genesis genealogies, we will be able to sense the magnitude of God’s abundant grace and love. Ultimately, it was His fervent zeal that achieved salvation for mankind through the incarnation of Jesus Christ and His atoning work on the cross.
4. The Method of Studying the Genesis Genealogies
The ten genealogies in Genesis are not all recorded in the same format. Some genealogies are recorded twice, and some are written in simple story format. The genealogy of Seth in Genesis 5 and the genealogy of Shem in Genesis 11 are written in the most typical genealogy format, including the details of the sons’ names and ages. In this book, we will study the genealogies of Cain’s line in Genesis 4, of Seth’s in Genesis 5, and of Shem’s in Genesis 11 with a focus on the factors listed below.
(1) The meaning of the names
A name distinguishes a person, place, or thing. A person’s name not only validates his or her existence (Gen 2:19), but also connotes that person’s character and personality. The greater significance of a name lies, however, in the fact that it not only follows a person throughout life, but also remains on earth even after death. For example, the name Jacob means “one who takes by the heel” or “deceiver” and his new name Israel means “striven with God and with men and have prevailed.” This demonstrates that Jacob became a new person with a new character by receiving a new name.
The faith of the parents greatly influences the naming of a child. A name does not just describe the child; it reveals the parents’ hopes and expectations for the child, and it provides insight into the situation of the times. Thus, by studying someone’s name, it is possible to obtain an extensive amount of information about that person and the times in which he or she was living.
For the godly patriarchs, who were men of prayer, assigning names to their sons was a solemn matter. The names most likely reflected their understanding of God’s will and His desire toward their generation.
Although there may be many children in a family, the child who brings honor to the parental name is the pride of that family. Similarly, the names of the people specially listed in the genealogies of the godly offspring have not faded away even until now. Likewise, the names in the genealogies not only reflect the circumstances of the times, but also contain God’s work of redemption that penetrates through the times. Therefore, it is meaningful to explore carefully the redemptive significance and the origin of the names in Adam’s genealogy, especially in the line of Seth.
(2) Life span—birth and death
Another basic factor in the study of the genealogies is life span: when the patriarchs were born, how long they lived, and when they died. A person’s life span reflects the historical circumstances surrounding his or her time. Therefore, it is necessary to examine how religious and social experiences of the different times may have affected each person’s life span.
(3) Relationships with preceding and succeeding generations
It is also crucial to know where each person lived within the historical timeline because it helps us to understand the person’s relationship with the preceding and succeeding generations. It also aids in determining which other patriarchs were his contemporaries. Ultimately, we can discover the path and method through which God’s administration for redemption was delivered down from the older generations to the younger generations.
Of special importance is the length of time during which Adam and Noah—the first and second ancestors of mankind—lived contemporaneously with their direct descendants. This will bring to light many important facts that once had been unknown and will lead us to a better understanding of God’s redemptive providence. In summary, understanding the patriarchs’ relationship with their preceding and succeeding generations through a close study of their births and life spans will confirm that even the years recorded within these genealogies progressively reveal the Messiah, who would come as the promised seed of the woman (Gen 3:15).
(4) Progressive revelation of the coming of the Messiah
The Bible progressively reveals Jesus Christ (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39, 45–47; Heb 1:1–3). The format of the genealogies and the meanings of the recorded names contain the hope and anticipation of how the redemptive promise would unfold with each successive generation and eventually be fulfilled through Jesus Christ. Discovering this will greatly broaden our perspective of the flow of redemptive history. For example, Adam is connected to Noah through Enoch and Methuselah. Noah is connected to Abraham through Shem and Eber. In their respective times, Adam and Noah play the role of the backbone in the history of redemption.
(5) Additional information about important characters
There are some parts of the genealogies that deviate from the standard format in order to present an additional information for certain generations. These additional details signal important junctions in the flow of the genealogies and also point to Jesus Christ, the chief figure in redemption history.
For example, additional details were included for the following persons:
• In the genealogy of Cain in Genesis 4—Cain, and Lamech (sixth generation)
• In the genealogy of Seth in Genesis 5—Adam, Enoch, Lamech, and Noah
• In the genealogy of Shem in Genesis 10–11—Shem, Eber, Peleg, and Abram
Out of all the persons enumerated in the genealogies, we must pay special attention to the persons listed above.
(6) Historical placement of the genealogies
The time period in which a genealogy emerges has great redemptive significance because genealogies are often recorded at a crucial turning point or junction in the history of redemption.
In the biblical genealogies, the most important person often appears at the end and becomes the starting point of a new era. Consequently, persons listed at either the beginning or the end of a genealogy hold great redemptive significance. Good examples are Adam, the first person mentioned in the genealogy of creation; Noah, the last person (tenth generation) in his genealogy (Gen 5:32); Terah and his son, Abraham, the last persons in the genealogy that follow the generation of Noah (Gen 11:26); and Joseph in the account of Jacob’s lineage (Gen 37:2–50:26).
The Genesis genealogies are especially meaningful in that they present an overview of God’s unfolding work in the history of redemption. If we study the genealogies with the aforementioned factors in mind, we will discover the intimate connection between God’s redemptive work and the genealogies.
The genealogies contain God’s administration, which has life and actively moves within the genealogies and guides the great flow of redemptive history. They also contain traces of God’s revelations that testify of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah (Luke 24:27, 44; John 5:39, 45–47). Further study of the Genesis genealogies will cause Moses’ words to resonate clearly: “Remember the days of old, consider the years of all generations” (Deut 32:7).
